The Mayor's Domestic Violence Task Force

Diana Quinlan, CRNA, MA
Diana Quinlan, CRNA, MA is a member of the Duval County Medical Society
Alliance and was Vice-Chair of the Medical / Psychological Committee
of the Mayor's Domestic Violence Task Force.

The Mayor of Jacksonville convened a task force of civic leaders and representatives to study and eradicate domestic violence within our city. They began work over two years ago and called upon resources within the community to offer input. This was a unique opportunity to share with the 40 members of the task force what we offer as a medical community. As the vice-president of the DCMSA I made a presentation to the task force on November 18, 1997. The following are highlights of what I shared that were available through the medical community at large and DCMS more specifically:

Domestic Violence Educational Offerings for Healthcare Practitioners: Generally this consisted of a one to two-hour presentation as a hospital-based education program, available from a number of providers, with extensive syllabus and community resource list for physicians and nurses. Programs included an overview of domestic violence and specific suggestions regarding diagnosis, medical treatment and advocacy.
Stop America's Violence Everywhere (S.A.V.E.): A project of the AMA prepared in cooperation with the American Academy of Pediatrics and utilized by the AMA Alliance for their speaker's bureau in community outreach.
Save-A-Shelter: This project, also AMA initiated, encourages every medical society and alliance to engage in activities which benefit crisis shelters that assist domestic violence, rape, sexual assault and child abuse victims. The DCMSA raised over $9,000 last year for Hubbard House with a fashion show. Other medical societies and alliances across the country participate in various ways to support local shelters.
"I Can Choose": A project of the AMA Alliance utilized by the DCMSA was the "I Can Choose" coloring book. These were distributed to every first grader in the Duval County Public School System in 1994 (10,000 students). The book is used as a resource to teach young children conflict resolution. It helps them to consider what they can do constructively with their anger, how to treat others, and how to help others feel good about them. Lastly it helps them summarize their feelings by sharing what choices their family, friends, teachers and classmates most happy.

I was asked to be the Vice-Chair of the Medical/Psychological Committee when the Task Force broke into six committees to write the report for the Mayor. We began committee work in April of 1998 and met until summer to complete our committee report by the August deadline. Included on our committee was an Emergency Medicine physician, an ER nurse, two patient advocates from Hubbard House, two educators (nurses) with domestic violence expertise, the director of Gateway Services (substance abuse), two hospital administrative staff, two mental health providers, and a representative from the Mayor's office.

Our committee developed three basic recommendations with supporting findings and action steps. Additionally, we felt strongly there was a need for a resource guide for health care practitioners at ALL entry points to medical and psychological care. We developed this guide to include:

Selected Florida Statutes on Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence facts
Algorithm for medical management
Algorithm for the mental health provider
DV Abuse Assessment Form (includes documentation form with anatomical chart)
Patient Consent to Photograph Form (English and Spanish forms)
Frequently asked questions for physicians and healthcare workers
Personal Safety Planning, includes a Safety Planning Form
Warning list of behaviors demonstrated by batterers
Local Resources and Emergency Numbers
State and National Resources
Training Materials and Publications
Web Site Resources

The final task force report had sections written by six committees: Faith Community, Judicial, Law Enforcement, Medical/Psychological, Perpetrators Services, and Victim's Services. A broad spectrum of disciplines was incorporated into the preparation of this very complete report. The next phase of the project, under the direction of the Mayor, includes funding and implementation. The Medical /Psychological Committee is most concerned with the dissemination of useful information to all health care providers. To this end we wanted to offer a mechanism for distributing our Domestic Violence Resource Guide in a manner that would assure that it was received by those most likely to benefit from the material. And so I am very pleased that the DCMS is publishing this resource guide as a supplement to this Domestic Violence issue of Jacksonville Medicine.

It has been a pleasure working on behalf of the fine physicians of DCMS as a DCMSA officer and a representative to the Mayor's Domestic Violence Task Force. I am proud of our committee's accomplishments and hope you will be pleased with the attached supplement. Keep it as a handy resource guide in your workplace and know that the contributions you make in your practice provide a vital link to the domestic violence victim and family.

The purpose of the Domestic Violence Resource Guide is to
provide assistance and information about available community resources
to those who are responsible for the health and safety of domestic violence victims.

Download a copy of the Domestic Violence Resource Guide now (in 4 PDF Files only)

Jacksonville Medicine / May, 1999

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